Founded in 1883, Union Gap is the original Yakima City, nestled in the gap of two mountains. More than a century later, Union Gap’s government was separated into multiple municipal departments spread over different areas of the city. This separation was inefficient and inconvenient. To solve these problems, Union Gap commissioned a new, 23,500 sf civic center, consolidating departments including a city hall, a police station, and a youth center.
FSi provided HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection engineering for the project. And, to ensure the busy, multipurpose space didn’t become too noisy, FSi provided acoustic modeling services. We explored strategies to limit ambient noise in offices and conference rooms, including sound lining on ductwork, silencers on AHUs, acoustic wall and ceiling panels, and sound boots on VAV box returns. FSi provided cost estimates along with each option and used modeling to show the impact each option would have on sound levels in the impacted spaces. Combining acoustic modeling and HVAC expertise, FSi identified options to cost-effectively improve acoustics without impacting the performance of the HVAC system.
The work on the Civic Center is part of Union Gap’s Main Street revitalization program. Our team worked closely with the City to identify options that both fit within the project budget supported the City’s overall vision. Now, the Civic Center is an efficient, lively space for both public workers and residents.
To learn more about FSi’s work on civic spaces, check out our work on the Olympia City Hall.